Every weekend, these volunteers pick up trash to keep Vietnam’s Buon Ma Thuot clean

Calling themselves Buon Me Breathe With Trees, the group spends Saturday mornings picking up waste around lakes, parks, and main streets in Buon Ma Thuot. 

On a recent morning, joggers around Ea Kao Lake paused to watch the volunteers wade into the water to collect plastic bags and foam boxes caught in reeds.

“I admire their commitment,” said local resident Nguyen Thi Huong. 

“Seeing them work like this makes others think twice before littering.”

The group was founded earlier this year by Nguyen Thi Bao My, a 22-year-old marketing worker who began cleaning up the roadside alone after noticing piles of rubbish along Vo Nguyen Giap Boulevard. 

A video she posted online drew other young people who wanted to join her.

Four months later, the group has nearly 30 regular members and about 300 social media followers. 

Volunteers range in age from their early twenties to forties and include engineers, teachers, and small-business owners.

“We chose the name because we believe everyone can ‘breathe with trees,’” said Bao My. 

“Even small actions like picking up trash or planting trees can make our place more livable.”

Each week, coordinator Tong Phi Hoang checks the weather and organizes clean-up sessions. 

“We don’t try to impress anyone,” he said. 

“It’s a way to meet people and contribute to the community.”

Local café owner Anh Toan, whose shop overlooks Ea Kao Lake, often provides drinks and helps dispose of the collected waste, which averages around 200 kilograms each session. 

“They all have jobs but still find time to do this,” he said.

Volunteers say their goal is to raise awareness about waste management and inspire residents to change their habits. 

“Cleaning helps, but the key is getting people to stop littering,” said Y Hau Nie Hra, who handles logistics for the group.

Buon Me Breathe With Trees is part of a growing network of youth-led clean-up movements across Vietnam, including Ha Noi Xanh, Sai Gon Xanh, and Trash Hero in Da Nang.